Dancing with Daedric Princes
by LeShyWolf
Summary: Two strangers, thrown smack dab in the middle of a fantasy game, are the source of entertainment for certain Daedric princes. They don't seem to be big on luck, read and follow their adventures as they get themselves into trouble. Some swearing.
1. Chapter 1

**Dancing with Daedric Princes**

* * *

_Cold_.

That was the first thing I felt when I reached consciousness, goose bumps were raised on my arms and my legs. I didn't even have to open my eyes to realize that I was lying down on something freezing, something solid and cold. Hard and dirty. When I did open my eyes, I had a blurry, sideways view of the room I was currently in and felt confusion wash through my dazed mind. As I sat up and my body moved, I found that my entire body aching, like the day after you had done a load of exercise. The side of my head on my temple throbbed, like it was bruised. Wincing, my hand reached towards the spot where it hurt the most and I flinched when my fingers touched a tender area.

My vision was still slightly blurry as I looked up and gazed around and I was still confused as hell. Around me, I had _no_ idea where I was. The room was spacious and square, stairs leading to an upper level that had a catwalk towards a door leading towards another room. Everything was made from stone, like from the old middle ages or something. The windows certainly looked old enough, a curve to them at the top, like a weird half-egg. Two at the top level, top at the bottom on the left hand side of the room. What lit the room besides the dim grey light that poured in through the windows were the torches on the lower floor that were attached to the wall on the right. One on either side of the door leading to another room.

This was an... unfortunate conundrum.

I seemed to have no idea- absolutely _no clue_ - where I was.

While my breathing began to quicken in slight panic, out huffed faint clouds of white smoke. My eyes snapped from side to side before I then saw a body- a man, lying down face down on the ground. As far as I could tell from the orange glow of the torches that illuminated the room and him, the stranger had straight, mid-length, straight, thick and brown hair. He wore a black coat, black turtle-neck, loose, blue jeans with a green scarf. My being froze and my breath caught in my throat as I eyed him with caution and questions swam in my mind frantically, which distracted my distressed brain. Was he alive? Who was he? Where was I? How did I get here? Was he related to this?

Concern, but also worry for my own safety swam through me as I started to crawl towards the stranger. My hand shakily reached out, touching his shoulder after hesitation and flinching. I turned him over so he was laid out on his back and eyed his face. My arms wrapped around my knees in an effort to gain some kind of warmth from the icy air as I huddled up beside the man, befuddled as to what to do. Fear had already slithered around my heart and was squeezing so tightly I thought the organ was going to explode. It would be messy, if it actually did. Urgh, it would be like a scene from AVP.

Leaning over him, I reached out before putting my middle and index finger underneath his jaw, feeling for a pulse. When I felt one, I felt slightly relieved that he wasn't dead but also anxious at what type of person he was and if he was the reason I was in an unfamiliar place that sent a shiver down my spine. And not just from the cold. The man himself looked pretty peaceful, like he was having a pleasant dream filled with a serene atmosphere.

I gasped and recoiled backwards, crawling back when he suddenly shot up. His eyes were a grey-green and they were wide as he stared at me with alarm while he yelped loudly, "you're not my mother! What's with the touchy-feely shit?"

Own eyes wide and flustered, I stammered in response. My voice squeaky and embarrassed, "I-I-!"

"Look... Sorry bout that, but..." He looked apologetic and awkward as he locked his eyes with mine, he had sat up properly, leaning back on his propped up arms, which were holding him up. "... But I'm kinda lost here."

"I don't know where we are." I said nervously to the stranger, not sure if I could trust him or not. I clutched at my knees as I hugged them again. My shoulders were tense and I had so many questions. I refused to panic, or at least I was trying to keep calm but that was kind of hard considering I woke up in a place I've never seen before with a strange man near me, because that would get me no where. "Who are you? How did you get here? Do you even know where we are? Do you know what happened?"

He put his hands up, as if to try to stop the flow of questions coming from my mouth, "Gotta take this one question at a time here, cause I'm lost in more ways then one!" he laugh, though uncertainly. He stood up, stumbling slightly. He grabbed his head with his gloved hands, grimacing.

"Are you okay?" I questioned him a little cautiously as I stood up myself, wincing a little at the sharp throbbing in my temple. I had taken a timid step back away from him, surprised by his tall height.

When I looked up at him, in turn he looked down at me. Looking like all tact was lost on him as he titled his head and brushed away the fringe of hair over his eyes and stated, "Wow, you're short..."

My eye brows furrowed together, a little irritated at his comment. "I'm not short, you're just... freakishly tall."

"Okay, Okay... That's a sore subject." He began to look around the room we were in, then held out his hand towards me, "Sean Greene; university student and all around smartass, at your service. M'Lady." He followed up with a grin and a sweeping bow.

"Nice to meet you Gigantor." I couldn't help a small grin as I took his hand in my soft, slender one and shook it. "Anna, at yours."

"Well, Ms. Anna. Shall we, I don't know, get the hell out of this goddamn place?" He motioned towards the staircase with his hand, "I do believe that is the way up, and out of this place. I was actually on my way there before I tripped over something..." he stopped and had glanced back at me, "...Or someone?"

I frowned at his words and touched my sore temple. "I don't suppose that was me?"

He grimaced, feeling his own injury on his head. Then he nodded, "You know? It probably was."

"You sure know how to treat a girl, don't 'cha Gigantor?" I commented, started to walk with him since it seemed to be my way out of here at the moment (he didn't seem all bad) before I noticed that my beanie bobble hat was on the ground a few feet away from me. Walking over towards it, I picked it up and brushed it off, putting it back on my head.

"Nice hat." He commented dryily, before performing yet another sweeping turn towards stairs, "Now, hats and unconscious bodies aside, we can move."

"'Bout time." I sighed, rubbing my sore temple as I followed the tall Sean Greene towards the stairs, glancing over my shoulder one last time as I observed the surroundings to what I woke up to while rubbing my arms for warmth. "Do you have _any_ clue as to how we got here?"

"Not a fuckin' clue." he said, without looking back. "I've never seen this place before, I'm sure of it..." he trailed off as he stepped up the stairs while shaking his head.

"You don't sound too sure about that." I noted, narrowing my eyes at him a little before shaking my head and steadying myself when I nearly tripped over a strange iced puddle. I blinked in befuddlement, staring at it in surprise. "What the hell?"

"What the what?" He turned back to me.

"There's an ice puddle..." I sounded as confused as I felt, stepping around it before walking up a few steps, but stopping and looking at the ice puddle again.

"Oh. My. God. I don't know where you come from, but where I come from ice puddles are pretty damn common." He laughed, before turning around to keep walking forward. Irritation sparked in me.

"I'm from England dumbarse. Can't you tell from my accent?" I stated in annoyance while rolling my eyes as I walked after him. "There isn't supposed to be any ice or snow anymore, it's all stopped."

"England eh? I knew some people from England. They fell under two groups," He held up a finger without turning around, "One: my profs," he lifted the second finger, "or two: idiots. You don't seem to fall under either category. You can't be from England."

"Were you born idiotic or do you have to rehearse?" I said in disbelief, raising an eye brow at him. "I don't know if you've noticed, but maybe if you listened to my voice, you'd hear the clear English- or as you people say- _British accent_ very clearly."

"British!" He suddenly exclaimed, throwing his hands in the air and turned around before motioning in my general direction, "That must be it! I thought that accent was familiar!" he turned back around and keep walking, just keep walking down these infernal halls of stone.

"Un-bloody-believable," I muttered.

"I heard that!" He called back, voice echoing in the tunnels.

"It was intended to be heard!" I replied right back at him, my own voice also echoing in the tunnels, rolling my eyes and crossing my arms over my chest as I followed him. Where the hell were we? How long until we reached the outside and I could go home?

I nearly bumped into his back when we reached a dead end in the hall we were following. There was a ladder leading to a trap door, "Ladies first?"

"What a gentleman." I resorted sarcastically, stepping in front of him and climbing up.

"Where the hell are we?" I heard him mumble as I continued to climb.

"Woah!" My strained voice exclaimed in alarm as my foot slipped on the ladder but I managed to pull myself up safely.

"You alright there, your highness?" I heard Sean call up to me.

"I'm fine, good sir." I rolled my eyes. "You can climb up now, you know. You don't have to wait down there." I pushed through the trapped door.

"What do you see? And don't give me a smartass answer either. This doesn't seem right." I heard him call, voice reverberating and echoing against the stone walls.

"The hell...?" I mumbled as I looked around, seeing a stair case next to me with two double doors ahead of me. I grunted as I climbed out of the trapdoor and walked towards the double doors, grabbing the handle as I started to open it. At the noise behind me, I glanced over my shoulder, seeing Gigantor climbing out of the trapdoor. He looked up at me as he did.

"Careful." Sean warned, looking around at the stone walls surrounding the narrow hall, "This definitely is too old to be a Canadian site, and that was where I was last time I checked. Something is seriously fucked here."

"Thanks for the update Einstein." I opened the doors and was smacked in the face with a harsh icy breeze. I flinched and shuddered, my shocked eyes staring out as my mouth parted.

I heard Sean rush up behind me and saw him look out over my head, he looked baffled. "Fuck me. It can't be!"

"What. The. Fuck?" I asked, shivering as I hugged myself. Disbelief washing through me.

"Good question." Then I heard feet scraping the stone floors on the stairs behind us, "You wanna just chill here or go out there? Cause there's someone coming down these stairs and I'm not so sure they'll like us being here."

"But-" I glanced behind me, not liking either of those choices.

"Too late, decision has been made!" he whispered as he suddenly grabbed my collar and dragged me back towards the trapdoor.

"What if someone's down there?" I hissed nervously, voice still a whisper.

"_We_ were down there!" he hissed back at me, "And I'm not going back! So just stay here, hopefully they won't see us."

"But that was only _one_ room! Obviously there's gonna be more and what's the worst that can happen? It's not like they'd kill us!" I hissed sharply in reply.

He stared at me, "Are you so sure that you'd..." His eyes flickered behind me and he stiffened.

"Am I sure that I'd what?" I asked quietly, confused as to why he just trailed off. He just shook his head, then shifted to put me in front of him. Then he gestured with his head to turn around. Still confused, I turned around and jumped at the sight of a sudden person who was staring at us crouching by the trapdoor, then I stiffened. _Oh shit_. My 'new best friend' patted me on the shoulder in a praising way as if to say '_Well done_'.

He crouched there behind me and muttered to himself, over and over: "It can't be, It can't be. It can't be. I'm insane. You're insane too. We're insane!"

"What are you talking about?" I asked quietly as she stood there, paralyzed in shock as they stared.

"Jesus, Queenie, LOOK AT HIS _EARS_!" He hisssed. Then he re-appraised the person ahead of us, "Or... H-HER EARS!"

I did as instructed and my eyes widened... "Holy-!"

Suddenly the _elf _moved.

The probably-elf glowered down on us, then she spoke, "What are you two playing at?"

"Uh... we were playing cards?" I blurted as I stalled hopelessly, my answer sounding more like a question.

Sean tried to take control of the situation. "Anna!" he said, in an overly loud voice, "Don't bother the poor lady." He turned his attention to the probably-elf, "I'm sorry Miss, but we were only exploring. Miss Anna tends to get lost-" The elf interrupted with a flick of her wrist, and a ball of fire appeared in her hand. Sean took one look at it and collapsed.

"Dude!" I exclaimed, my voice a high pitched tone of alarm as he fell to the ground and then with one look at the ball of fire in her hand, I felt light-hearted and dizzy, I stumbled back a little. "Oh wow..." I said in awe, gaping. Still staring at the ball of fire in her hand with absolute, utter amazement, my leg kicked backwards towards Sean's stomach, kicking him. "Sean." I said dazedly. "I think I'm high." He mumbled back something or another about 'fires' and 'elves'.

I stumbled backwards with a scream of fright, covering my face with my arm when the ball of fire suddenly flared towards me. I fell backwards onto Sean, slamming my head onto the ground while my lower body fell on Sean's legs. Black spots blurred in my vision.

"Hey now!" Sean mumbled, "Those are pri- priva- private property?"

"Ow..." I groaned. The probably-elf was probably baffled. She had no doubt never seen a reaction like ours before.

"Tell me about it." Sean replied, "Look, Fire Lady, could you at least give us a hand here. Maybe help us find out where we are?"

"I'm dreaming..." I mumbled. "Please god, I'm dreaming."

"You're both mad." The probably-elf stated, seeming in disbelief.

"You're damn right we're mad." Sean replied, giving me a firm nudge to get me off his legs, "Now, shall we..."

She cut him off, he wasn't gonna like that. "You should not be here. Follow me," She motions with the fire ball in her hand, "Now."

"Five more mintues mum..." I slurred, dizzy.

"I hear you, You Highness. I could use a bit of a nap myself." he muttered.

"Are you deaf? I said get up and follow me. _Now_." She glowered, flaring the ball of fire slightly which made her look sinister because of the slightly dark hall and it highlighted her face from beneath like in a horror movie.

"Yeah, yeah. I'm coming." Sean got up, then gave me yet another nudge and whistled, "Sleeping Beauty, let's get going before Little Miss Fireballs over here crisps us."

"I don't wanna..." I might have had a concussion from banging my head so hard. My words were still slurred and I felt weird.

"Alright, grab my hand. I'll support you then. Or carry you. Either-Or. Your choice." I heard Sean say before I was slapped on the cheek with his hand. Groaning, I rolled over and curled in a ball, head throbbing and cheek sore.

"That's it!" Sean nearly shouted, I grimaced at the noise.

Suddenly I felt myself drifting off into unconsciousness.


	2. Chapter 2

**SPOV**

* * *

I dragged a hand over my face. What did I get myself into? Or rather: what did I get dragged into? I'm here, in this weird fantasy world with some English girl I've never met before as my only 'companion', if that even is the proper word for it.

And this headache! It was bad when I initially woke up, but now it's unbearable. Carrying Anna's unconscious body across this courtyard place, at the command of a lady that looks like an elf that apparently can conjure fire to her hand sure didn't help in that regard. Not to mention this lady had the personality of a rhino, can't see past her own oversized snout.

Anyway, she led us to a 'Mirabelle Ervine'... That name still seems familiar to me, but I can't place it... Mirabelle led us- me carrying Anna- to what she called the 'Hall of Attainment' where we were to wait for the 'Arch-Mage'. I thought that was the best part, until I saw the inside of this 'Hall of Attainment'.

Just inside the double doors, directly across the courtyard from the doors myself and Anna were hiding inside, there was a large circular room with doorways into various other rooms. Reminded me of a college dorm style setup. But what had drawn my eyes was at the centre of the room: a well-like structure that, instead of water, seemed to hold a brilliant blue... flame? I don't even know what the hell that is.

Mirabelle led us to an empty room, where I put Anna (still unconscious) on the bed and sat myself down on a chair across from her. Ervine left the room to 'fetch us a healing potion'... I couldn't help but scoff at that, a 'healing potion'. What is this? Skyrim? There's no such thing as 'healing potions'.

Contrary to my thoughts, she returned with two vials containing some sort of viscous red liquid. I was handed my own and was urged to drink it while Mirabelle tipped the contents of the second vial into Anna's opened mouth. Once that was finished, she told us to wait for this 'Arch-Mage' guy and left me to watch Anna and stare at the animal skins attached to the wall, or the skull on the bedside drawer. A skull... Skins... This is so wierd!

I swirled the vial for a second, before shotgunning it. Bad move. That shit tasted terrible, like tonic water. I hate tonic water. Anna began to stir. She groaned as she squinted her eyes open, grimacing and looking slightly confused. "Urgh, gross..."

"Tell me about it." I commented.

She looked up, then noticed me and the fact we were in a completely different place. Stiffening in both caution and confusion, she turned to back to me. "So... what'd I miss?"

I laughed, "Just me carrying you across the courtyard and dumping you on this creepy bed."

"Perfect." She muttered, sitting up and rubbing her temple, looking surprised. "Huh... weird." She frowned. "Did somebody give me something? Like some kind of medicine? I have this horrible taste on my tongue..."

"Yeah, surprisingly." I motioned to the vial on the table beside me, "This 'Mirabelle Ervine' lady gave us this 'Health Potion' stuff." I made extensive use of the infamous 'Air-Quotes'.

"And they think we're mad?" She scoffed then shook her head. "Well, whatever it was. That shit worked like a charm."

"That it did." I said, for it was the truth; my own headache, and face-ache for that matter, had faded. "We're supposed to wait for the 'Arch-Mage' to show up, so he can 'take a look at us'. Hope the dude's a psychiatrist, psychologist, or neurologist because that fire lady is worrying me."

Anna sat Indian style on the bed, leaning forward with her cheeks in her palms, elbows propped up on her knees. Her blue eyes flickered up and looked around, she looked like she was thinking over something. "Do you think we should just leave? I mean," she continued, nervous. "nobody's around. Maybe we could sneak out through a back way?"

"And what... Get toasted by Pyromaniac?" I asked, rhetorically, "Look, they helped us. The least we can do is use their hospitality to the greatest extent..." I faded off, with a grin on my face. My own mother used to call me the King of Moochers, because I was so good at getting what I wanted and/or needed with little to no cost.

"That couldn't have been real." Anna raked a hand through her hair. "It was probably an illusion or something... they could be this weird cult on drugs and are higher than mountain Everest."

"I doubt it, but-" I stopped and listened. "Someone is coming." I turn to the doorway expectantly. Anna perks up, eyes attentive as she and I watched someone walk out.

And there he was, in all his glory. The oddest looking guy I had ever seen. His scarlet eyes burnt under the hood of his poncho-style robes, standing in contrast to his ash coloured skin. He also had a scraggly beard. The odd guy spoke in a soft voice, "So you are the so-called 'trespassers'?"

"Uh-We come in peace?" Anna held up her hand, doing the Spock hand gesture as a greeting.

I shook my head, then brush the hair from my eyes. "Yeah, I don't think we need to go there." I knew where we were now. No other place... Dimension... Would have someone like this guy. And I just made a joke about it not five minutes ago, "Look, dude, sorry about the whole trespassing thing but..." I trailed off, not really knowing where I was going with that.

"We have absolutely no idea where we are." Anna decided to use the honest approach. "We just woke up in this tunnel and... well, here we are."

The man stroked his scraggly beard, "Yes... Nirya had explained where she found you. An entrance to the Midden."

I snapped my fingers, "If that's what the creepy-ass tunnels under this... place... are called, then yes!"

"Do you know anything...?" Anna asked the strange man, not being able to stop staring at him.

"Yes. The tunnels below the College are collectively called the Midden. You are currently in the Hall of Attainment in the College of Winterhold. I am Arch-Mage Savos Aren." The man explained. I couldn't believe it. Either this guy actually believes this is the College, or this actually is the College. Either way, Anna and I were neck-deep in trouble.

"Arch-Mage-Guy, I appreciate the assistance your people have given us, but we," I motioned to Anna and myself, "_Should. Not. Be. Here_." I put emphasis on each separate word, hoping that I got the point across.

"Wait- Winterhold?" Anna repeated. "Why does this sound _VERY_ familiar?"

"Your highness, have you ever heard of Skyrim before?" I looked pointedly at her.

Anna stared and you could practically hear the bomb going off in her mind from it being blown. "You're bonkers."

"I know right?" Then I paused, "Or the Arch-Mage over there is. One or the other. And since Lady Pyro already threatened us with a ball of fucking fire, I wouldn't be surprised if we were the insane ones."

"Holy shit." Anna cursed, shaking her head. "I'm in a dream. I'm in a dream. I'm just _fucking_ dreaming." She raked a hand through her hair, making it look like it was raised by wolves. I reached across the space between us and pinched her arm. Anna jumped and slapped my arm. "Ow! The hell-?!"

"Uh huh. I don't think you're dreaming."

I looked back to Aren; the dude looked bored out of his mind despite our antics, "If you're quite finished, we have much to discuss." He motions for us to follow him. I get up, and do just that.

Anna grabbed my arm and she dug her nails in it without realizing. She was pretty freaked out despite the calm facade she wore on her face. "We're just gonna follow this guy? For all we know, he IS insane and this is all just-" she looked downright confused and clueless on what to say, considering the situation.

I would have noticed the brutal clawing of my arm if I wasn't so scared myself. "Anna, I think we're going to be-" I was cut off by the blowing wind from outside. Coughing, I tried to start again, "I... I think we're going to be OK. Just remember rule number one: When in doubt, run." Aren glanced over his shoulder at that comment, but kept leading us.

"I think I like that rule." Anna muttered back in a reply. Seeming a little uncertain of herself and the area. She stopped looked in awe outside at the circular beam of bright and vibrant blue light that rose in front of the statue that slightly looked like an alter. "Oh my..." She trailed off.

"Oh my indeed." I pulled her along. I wanted to get out of the cold as soon as possible. Aren opened the third set of double doors in the courtyard. No doubt that would be the 'main area'. I saw Anna stiffen, again, and grabbed her arm, again, and pulled her to the door that Aren had entered. Within, there was a steep, circular staircase leading upwards. If my memory served me well, there would be the Arch-Mages quarters at the top... I think? I had not played Skyrim for very long. I was not willing to rely on my memories alone.

"Where are we going exactly?" Anna asked Aren curiously, looking a little timid with all the stares we were gaining.

"I am taking you to my quarters, where we will have the privacy required for sensitive issues such as this." I almost laugh at the way he pronounces 'privacy', but stifle it in the interest of self-preservation. I pulled my scarf a little tighter around my neck, brushed the hair from my eyes and continued up the stairs.

Anna climbed the stairs, looking around before muttering quietly, a little uncertain. "Are you sure that this is... you know what?"

"I dropped back a little to meet her, "Yeah. I think it is. And quite honestly, I am freaking out here."

Anna's eyes widened. "Oh shit.. Sean... Sean..."

"What is it?"

Anna leaned closer, whispering. "If this really is... that... then..." She swallowed hard. "_Dragons_."

I stopped suddenly, causing her to bump into me. Then tried to walk forward, stumbling over the last few steps to the top while whispering, "Hopefully we... won't have to deal with that. It's not like we're, you know, the protagonists..." I looked back at her, "Are we?"

"No..." Anna gulped. "At least... I hope not."

I stop before entering the door ahead, "Good. Cause I am not getting eaten by some giant-ass lizard." I enter the room to be greeted by the Arch-Mage, "Please, take a seat."

At his words, Anna took a seat, but sat in what looked like an awkward, flexible angle. She looked comfortable enough, though. I took a seat in a chair beside her, a small coffee table between us. I fiddled with a silver goblet while staring at the beautiful 'garden' at the center of the room. I shifted my gaze to Anna.

"So..." Anna started awkwardly, clearing her throat. "I think from what I've seen so far the college looks beautiful, by the way."

"That it does." I replied. I looked into the mass of plants in the centre of the room once again, "You recognize any of those?"

"No, haven't even completed Skyrim..." Anna admitted, quietly so Aren wouldn't hear.

"Neither did I... You feel that?" I asked. It was a faint prickling in the back of my mind, growing more and more annoying every second. Anna nodded and blinked, her eyes slowly strayed off absentmindedly over towards the table, where a plain silver necklace was just laid there. She stared, as if in a trance.

Gazing down to the necklace, I resisted the urge to reach out and touch it. It was so beautiful, I just... Couldn't... No! I shook my head, as if to clear the cobwebs from my brain. I looked back at Anna, and back down to the necklace again. Anna seemed like she was dazed as she reached out her hand towards the silver necklace, eyes longing and filled with an intent glint of want and a strong desire. As I noticed her leaning forward, I wanted to warn her. But I couldn't. Such a harmless trinket couldn't be dangerous. Then I noticed the necklace flash in an indefinable assortment of colour. I didn't notice the drool coming out of my mouth at the time.

As soon as Anna's fingers brushed up against the silver necklace as she tried to touch it. She suddenly jolted as it glowed and buzzed with electricity, noticeable bolts of blue electric washing over her body and she fell backwards gasping. The force was so strong that the chair had rocked back when she fell back into it, causing her to fall on her back on the ground.

I jolted out of the trance I was in and nearly fell out of my own chair, "Whoa! Anna, you ok there?" I looked up from her. There was Aren, holding two vials of liquid. He did not look happy.

"I feel like I've just been smacked by an elephant." Anna groaned.

"It looked like you were, too." I muttered offhand. I was tensing up, ready to get out of the room just in case Aren blew up. I move to help Anna up, reaching out to grab her hand. As I touched her bare skin, I felt a shock transfer from her to me.

"What the hell was that?" Anna complained, pulling herself up with the help of my hand.

I couldn't answer her, I had no idea what it was either. Aren probably did, gauging the way he was glaring at us. I looked back at my hand, and started, "What the fuck is this?" There was a scar on the palm of my hand, like an eye at the centre of a sun. Except instead of rays of light, this 'scar' had... tentacles or something. It was all surrounded by a perfect circle with angular runes marking the outside. This was no mere scar, this had to be a mark of some kind. "Hey Anna. Check the palm of your hand out for a second."

Anna did so and her head wavered back in surprise as she did a double take. "What the hell?"

Aren slammed the vials he was holding onto a nearby table, and strode forward. He grasped Anna's wrist in one hand and my own in his other. He forced them to turn over and gasped, "You have been marked."

"What do you mean?" Anna asked, looking a little scared.

"Yes. Please, do tell." I sarcastically added.

Aren looked up at me, clearly not amused, then shifted his gaze to Anna, "This is represents a gate to Apocrypha!" I shake my head, "Not ringing any bells here." He steps back, "You have been marked by Hermaeus Mora."

Anna rose an eye brow. "I'll just pretend to know who the hell that is."

Aren took a couple more steps back, "He is the Daedric Prince of knowledge and memory!" He steps back once more, then conjures a ball of fire to his left hand. I take a step back towards the exit, nudging Anna in the process.

"I take it he isn't popular?" Anna squeaked, edging towards the exit.

"No," Aren started, "However, he is dangerous. As all the Princes are. Having marked you, you are now his. And you cannot leave this room." He readies his fire-hand, and I turn away expecting to be fried. I hear the explosion, but the pain never arrives. I open my eyes to see some kind of shield around the two of us. Anna's mark was glowing an intense purple. Her wide eyes met mine.

"Magic..." I muttered.


End file.
